Engine-starter



V. BbNDlX.

ENGINE SYARTER.

APPUCATION man MAH.21.1919.

Patented JamL 6, l

V. BENDIX.

ENGINE STARTER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 2|. 1919.

1,322,302.VV Patemed @11.61920 2 SHEETS-5HEET 2. W4 I .5 V

Unir-ED sfrn'rns rnfrnnr cierren.

vI'NcENTyBENDIn or eiiicnedinninois; l

y Application led March 21,1919. Serial No.\ 28`4,052.

To vall whom-z5 may concern.'

Be it known that I, VINCENT `BnNDDn'a citizen of the United States. residing at Chi cago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have'invented certain new and useful Improvements in `llngine-itarters, of which the following is a specilication. v

My invention relates to a starter for an engine such as an internal combustion engine and the object thereof is to produce an automatic drive or transmission therefor of novel and eliicient construction and mode of operation.

Myneiv construction of drive belongs to that general type as exemplified by patents heretofore issued to me such as Patent No. 1,125,935 dated January 26, 1915 and No. 1,274,370 dated August 6, 1918, according to which a driving member, whether the pinion itseli' livhich ei'igages the engine member' such as the fly vvheel or a separate member which controls such a pinion, is mounted on a rotatable shaitsuch as a screw shaft and automatically causes 'engagement of the drive with and its disengagement from the engine member after the engine has started on its own power.

One of the main objects of myinvention is to relieve the rotatable member or screw shaft of the driving load and to place such load upon a separate shaft which may be direct-ly or indirectly driven bythe starting motor or other sources oi' power, and on -Which the driving pinion may be rather i closely tted instead of the necessarily loose fit'if such pinion were mounted upon a screw shaft. Moreover my construction enables the shifting mechanism to be made coniparatively small Vand light and the actual driving parts to be made o'lany'size accord ingn to the particularrequirements as to load or location.

ln the drawings Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a starter embodying mynewconstruction of drive; Fig. 2 an elevation ot the driving gear Fig. 3 an elevation of the driving pinion; Fig. 4 a sectional elevation similar to Fig. 1 but showing. the parts in driving position; and Fig. 5 a section on theline Before describing` the particular embodiment of my invention as herein shown it will he niiderstoodthat.the parts may partake of considerable change or variation in the broader aspect of my invention, and also that the power of the `motor may be applied v Specification of Letters Patent." l

- indirectly insteadof directly as ,shoivim Vtha ed armature shaft 1 en .which isimcre or; less p of `the hub 8, of a driving'geai" 81': Tlisjg'ear ing or bracket'13,v for' supporting'the lfiiit'erfo;

'. shaft there is secured in suitable rnafnneras nal movements.

is, through an extendedv arinatnroshafvAs shown the prime inovervis afstartiiig. motor indicated at .A and-having: an; extend,- Y er accurately littedthe driving in'embenwhich is here in the foi-in ot' a pini'oii2n. This pin` ion is adapted to ineshavirtii tliejiteeth,a otai iiywheel 3. This-pinion isfiprovided atrit Outer or rearward end.: -iv-ithr-a-sepa'rate. ;0'11 integral gear 4, which iis'jo' the: flanged 'or shroud' type'by reason of they provision .of the 'extending` marginal` ilangesiahqflihef detailed constructionin respectftoithisgear 70j is 'immaterial but in the present instance 1f these iianges are separate from' the pinion lbody and are formed byl lannuli l.seciired I y:

thereto iii-suitable vmanner as byfineans of j; the stud bolts 5. y' y -f .i i e. T5; The pinion'v 2 is .formed fat"l its innen foi-fi" front end with inclinedclutchjiaivs .which are adapted 'to cooperate 'avitli'coinplemen.-'A tariY clutch jaws informed-fat the front edge...

o, is secured -in suitable mannerto the 'drivin i shaft 1 as by means off the key '9 ,fffn-wn t In my new construction"v theretatable shaft 10 for the shifting mechanism, that fiel-1". the screw shaft is a countershatwith'rei $5. fr.. spect 'to the driving shaft '1 andytliesanie mounted or 'journaled in `parallelfrelatiom` i ship therewith in anyfsuitable manner asfby means et' the bearings 11 and-'12"in-v-the ca'- ends of such shaft. To'the' innerendlofithis by the pin 14 a gear 1'5-in` constantmshi 'f' with the `rear S, wherebytliefrotation of` thev motor and drivingishaft 1' is always'com- '95l municated vte the shaft 10; This latter shaft has a screnv threaded portion10aupon`ivhich l y y is screw threaded a sliiftingl'or screw'jinenij ber 16, here in the'forrn of aVgear-.ha'ving f the same diameter and n {niberfof teeth'Y asfieo the gear 15. The gear v1; lie-ing thusft'hr'e'ad f ed upon thescretv V'shaft isfcapable ofv aiia'iify Y tomatic longitudinal movement' along* su'clil s shaft andv also a'rotary'movementthereivith' when arrested in its lfongituclii'ial"niovement 105 in the mannerv hereinafter explained. This f gear 16 is lin constant niesh Awith* the gear 4^ i of the pinion 2 and ley reason ofthe 'shroud f character of suchilatter gear, these-'two "gears `f partake of each others rotary'and'long'itnidi'-- im It will be iedereen@ that-th@ if,

the gear 16 withrespect to the gear 15, is of the same diameter and has the same number 'of teeth as the gear 8., gears may bev of the same diameter and of the same number of teeth but this is not essential so long as` there isy the same gear -ratio lbetween the gears Il and 16 as between the gears 8 and 15.

Describing a cycle of operation and be- 1*.0 ginning with the parts in their position as illustrated in Fig. 1, the rotation of the motor is transmitted through the gears 8 and to the countcrshat or screw shaft 10. As a result the gear 16 is automatically 15 moved longitudinally to the lett, thereby carrying or sliding the pinion 2 inwardly along the driving shaft 1. This shifting of A the pinion 2 brings the same into mesh with the fly wheel 3 and also brings the two 20 clutch jaws 6 `and 7 into engagement. Thereupon the pinion is rotated directly and positively by the gear 8 at this time, the parts now occupying the relative position-shown in Fig. 4. The gears 15 and 16 and also the shaft 10 will be rotated but idly so inasmuch as all of the driving load tis taken and sustained by the driving shaft 1.

It will be understood that in this construction the pinion 2 is in full mesh and in clutch engagement with the gear 8 before the gear 16 reaches the end of the screw threads 10a, with the result that when the longitudinal movementof the parts to `the left isstopped by said engagement the gear 16 will no longer advance in said direetionbut will partake of the rotary movement of its shaft. f

When the engine has started on its own power the increased rate of rotationof the 40 fly wheel causes van excess of rotation as compared with the speed of rotation imparted 'by the starting motor with the result that this excess rotation communicated by the pinion 2 and its gear l to the gear 16 will cause .the automatic movement of said parts to the right and the consequent demeshing of 'the pinion 2 from the ily wheel.

Ifdesired suitable means may be cmo ployed to coperate with the gear 16 in order to hold ,the saine in retracted or disy engaged position as shown in Fig. 1.` In the drawings I' have shown such aV construction the same comprising a shell 17 w having an internal flange 17l and secured to the hub 16a of the gear by screws 18. This flanged shell isadapted to coperate with a catch carried at the outer or right hand endot'. the screw shaft. This catch 0o comprises a pin slidingly mounted tra`nsversely through this shaft and normally held projected in'one direction by the coil spring 20 such Asliding movement being limited "bythe collar 21 on such pin. This pin is provided 'with 2 lateral parallel All of these foul'y Leaf/,soa

brackets 22 and 23 on which is mounted a latch 24 normally' yieldingly pressed upwardly above the bracket 23 by the coil spring 25. This latch has an inclined top edge so that the same will be depressed when contacted by the iiange 17a but to 4catch therebehind after such ,flange has cleared the latch. inasmuch as the weight on the bracket side of the pin or rod 19 exe ceeds its weight on the other side, such 75 weighted portion. will be thrown outwardly by the centrifugal force due to rotation of the screw shaft so that'the latch will be projected -is in engagement with the shell 17 at the time when the partsv are still rotating and when it is desired to keep the gear 16 in retracted-position and prevent itfrom advancing longitudinally again which might have the effect of clashing the pinion 2 with the fly wheel. Obviously, this catch device could be mounted on the driving shaft in position to cooperate with the pinion 2.

I claim: I

1. In an engine starter, a drive comprising a rotatable driving shalt, a driving' member mounted thereon for longitudinal i movement thereof for engagement with a part of the engine to be started, and for rotary movement therewith, Y and means mounted extraneous of such shaft and out of the line of load for automatically moving the driving member longitudinally.

2. In an engine starter, a drive comprising a rotatable driving shaft, a driving member mounted thereon for longitudinal .movement thereoil for engagement with a partot' the engine to be started, and tor rotary movement therewith, and shift means mounted extraneous of such shaft and out of the line of load v.tor so mov! ing the driving member longitudinally.

3. In an engine starter, a -drive co1npris` ing a rotatable driving shaft, a driving 115 member mounted thereon tor longitudinal movement thereof for engagementwith a part of the engine to be started, and for rotary movement therewith and also for roaol tary movement thereof, and means mounted extraneous of such shaft and out o1 the line of load for so inoving the driving member longitudinally.,

4. In an engine starter, a drive` comprising a rotatable driving shaft, driving member mounted thereon for longitudinal n'lovement thereof for engagement with a part-of the engine to be started, and also for rotary movement thcrewitlnand means mounted extraneous ,of SEC1! Shaft and out 130 screw l l n of the line of load for so moving its driving member longitudinally, such means being actuated by the shaft in its rotation.

5. In .an engine starter, a drive compris.

- member mounted thereon for longitudinal movement thereof for engagement with a part of the engine for rotary movement therewith, a countersliaft driven by said driving shaft and out of the line of load, and means mounted on the oountersliaft for automatically so mov- -iiig the driving. member longitudinally upon rotary movement of the countershaft.

7. In an engine starter, a drive comprising a rotatable driving shaft, a driving member mounted thereon forlongitudinai movement thereof for engagement with ay part of the engine to be started, and also forrotary movement therewith, a countershaft driven by said rotatable shaft, and

a control member mounted thereon for longitudinal movement thereof and rotary movement therewith and eope'rating with the driving member to shift it longitudif nally. Y y Y 8. In an engine starter, a drive Comprising a 4rotatable driving shaft, a driving member mounted thereon for longitudinal movement thereof for engagement with a part ofthe engine to be started, and also for rotary movement therewith, a counter shaft driven. by said. rotatable shaft and having screw threads, a se'rew member threaded thereon for autom-atie longitudinal movement 'thereof and rotary movement therewith 'and'ooperatiiig with the driving member to shift it longitudinally.

9. In an engine startena drive compris ing a rotatable ydriving shaft, a driving member mounted on the shaft and adapted to be shifted thereon, and means including gearing for .automatic-ally controlling the shifting movements of the,l driving member, such means being'out of the line of load.

l0. In an engine starter, a drive comprising a rotatable driving shaft, a driving member mounted on the shaft and adapted to be shifted thereon, .andmeans including a second shaft and gearingbetween the latter shaft and the driving' member for automatically controlling the shiftingmovements of the driving member.' such means i being out of the lineA of load.

11. In an engine starter, aV drive comprisfing a rotatable driving shaft, a driving member mounted thereon for longitudinal member, and

e driving shaft, a'driving lmeans mounted extraneous of to be started, and also iniember, and l tween. the driving shaft and the shifting 1 Tirising movement thereof-for engagement with a i part of the engine to be started, and also for rotary movement therewith, shifting means mounted extraneousv of the driving shaft and eoperating with the driving-27 earing between the driving shaft and the sxifting means and out of the line olf/load.

l2'. In an enginestarter, ing a rotatableV driving Shaft, a driving member mounted thereon for longitudinal afdrive eomprispart of the engine to be started, and Aalsov 0. i the driving f 'movement thereof for engagement withxa member mounted thereon for longitudinal.Vv -f movement' thereof for engagement with a part of the lengine to be for rotary movement therewith, shifting means mounted extraneous of the ldriving :rf:

shaft and eoperating with member, and two sets of gearing, one be- 14. In an engine starter, a drive compris ing a rotatable driving shaft, a driving member` mountedA thereon for longitudinall movement thereof for engagement with part of the engine to be started, for rotary movement therewith` shifting means out of the operating with the driving member inelud-l between the two shafts andthe Dart of the engine to be started, and also-'1 for rotary -movement therewith,A shifting I.

means vmounted extraneous ofV the driving` shaft and eoperating with the driving member including a second shaft, and two 0 a second shafhan two Sets of gem, f

11.@ shaft 'and the enf@ started., and alsex-fy the driving et tween the 4driving .shaft'andthe shifting.' .means, and/ the other between the shifting means and the driving member, saidHtwo-fffY 'i sets of gearing having thev same gear ratioJ' y"i and also: I line of load andinounted extraneous of the driving shaft and eosetsof gearing, one between thetwo shafts.

and the'other between the second shaft and having the same gear ratio. 16. In an engine starter,

a. rotatable driving shaft. a drivthe driving member, the two sets of gearing; f

a drive con z ing member mounted thereon for longitiidi-. 'i

nal movement thereof for engagement with a part of the engineV to'be started. and Valso 

